


Shutdown

by sammysouffle



Category: Hollyoaks
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Panic Attacks, Snarky James, mentions of trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-03-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:02:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23371372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sammysouffle/pseuds/sammysouffle
Summary: James goes to the police station to warn the new PC to stay away from Juliet but things take an unexpected turn.
Relationships: George Kiss & James Nightingale, James Nightingale/Liam Donovan
Kudos: 12





	Shutdown

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a James/PC Kiss fic but I am absolutely incapable of writing anything with James that doesn't include Jiam. I just miss this ship and I just miss Liam so much )' :

“Need I remind you that just because you are a police officer, it does not give you the right to harass teenage girls? Or would you like a court order to remind you of that?” 

The PC- whose last name James refuses to say because it just sounds ridiculous- at least has the decency to look embarrassed when he looks up from his paperwork. James is certain his colleagues in the back heard every word he just shouted, storming into the station. Good. He deserves it. 

“I wouldn’t call that harassment-” 

“Oh yeah? Do enlighten me  _ Police Constable  _ what would you call it then?” 

“Doing my job,” the PC throws back but if the way he’s squeezing the pen in his hand is any indication, James has managed to get to him. “I was simply asking her questions, Mr. Nightingale.” 

“Without her attorney?” James huffs. “That’s very smart of you.” 

“She wasn’t under arrest.” The PC is suddenly out of his chair, slamming the pen down on his paperwork. 

Despite being separated by a pane of glass, James automatically takes a step back. The PC is one hulking of a man, who seems quite satisfied with his intimidation skills. James doesn’t miss the way a slight smirk tugs at the edges of his lips. 

“Yes, I am sure steroids can make anyone appear intimidating, Captain Scotland.” 

He watches with satisfaction as the smirk falls off the PC’s face, instantly replaced by another annoyed look. 

2 points to James Nightingale. 

“What do you want, Mr. Nightingale?” The PC asks. James could tell the PC was clearly getting more and more annoyed by his presence. 

“I think I’ve made it quite clear what I want. You speak with Juliet Nightingale in my absence-” 

“I told you she was not under arrest.” 

“ _ No _ . But she  _ is  _ still a  _ minor _ ,” James reminds him as if he were talking to a child. “So as I was saying, you speak with Juliet Nightingale in my absence or the absence of my mother, her other legal guardian, and I’ll make sure your presence in this village is  _ very  _ shortlived. For your sake, I hope you haven’t unpacked already.” 

“Threatening a police officer? I could arrest you for that.” The PC’s attempt is laughable at best. James isn’t sure  _ what  _ John Paul finds interesting in this man that he keeps singing his praises. James finds him  _ dull _ . 

“Well,” James tsks patronizingly. “I’d like to see you tr-” 

A sudden loud bang resounds through the whole station before James can finish his sentence, causing him to gasp and take immediate cover, in front of the chairs in the waiting area. 

“WHERE IS MY BROTHER-” 

James hears someone yell. He doesn’t hear the rest of what the man says when suddenly his heart starts beating rapidly in his chest. His tie suddenly feels like a noose around his neck. One he can’t get to quick enough. Flashes of the events from a week ago, start to appear before his eyes. The so-called Dinner Party at The Dog. A manic Liam swinging a gun around in his face. His menacing voice, his warm breath right next to James’ ear. The body bag he was carried out in, right in front of James’ eyes. 

‘Mr. Nightingale-” 

James can hear a voice somewhere in the distance but he can’t decipher who it is. Breathing becomes tough when Liam’s face appears before him and his last words to James in the cellar ring in his ears. “Oh, what we could have been, darling,” followed by the insistent press of his lips on James’ unwelcoming ones.

“James-” 

James hears his name again. This time a little closer. Reaching out towards the blurry figure in front of him, James makes contact with the smooth skin, “Liam,” he whispers through a strained voice. It doesn’t feel like Liam though. The skin texture, jawline, it’s all wrong. 

“You’re okay, James,” the voice is saying. “You’re okay. Just breathe with me.” 

James’ hands move down and he grasps at whatever he can get hold of, which feels an awful lot like a shirt. 

“In…” the voice in front of him says. “And… out” 

James follows the man’s lead, grasping onto his clothes to anchor himself as he breathes along with him. His vision starts to clear. Liam starts to disappear. And his heart doesn’t feel like it’s about to burst out his chest anymore. 

“Good, just like that.” 

James can finally make out the Scottish accent. He suddenly finds arms around his body and almost loses his balance as he’s pulled into an embrace. “I’ve got you. You’re okay. You’re safe. It wasn’t a gun. It was the door.” 

James almost starts to relax against the other man. His arms feel… safe. His scent. reassuring. James almost-  _ almost  _ lets himself go. 

And then it hits him, what was going on. Where he was. “Get away from me!” He blurts out, pushing the other man away. He flies off the floor and glares at the PC on the floor, whose cheeks have turned red in embarrassment. James clears his throat and his own voice feels foreign to him as he says, “What do you think you are doing?” 

“I uh-” the PC gets off the floor. “I just- I’ve been there. The trauma- Being in a difficult situation- I know how it can be.” 

James feels a sudden rush of anger rise through him as he gets into the PC’s face. “You don’t know  _ anything  _ about me,” he warns the other man but the PC just looks at him with sympathy rather than anger which sets James off even more. “And don’t touch me again. I have your cheap, rancid cologne all over me now. My dry cleaning alone costs more than your whole month’s salary!” He yells grabbing his bag off the floor. 

James storms out of there the same way he came in. He ignores the commotion around him, of the police officers yelling at a man they have tackled on the floor. 

James vehemently refuses to acknowledge what the PC said. He wasn’t going through a  _ trauma  _ of any sort. He just hopes the Police Constable does not bring up the incident to John Paul now that they were  _ friends  _ or whatever. 


End file.
